Why?
by Eriks leadinglady
Summary: A short piece on what Darth Vader was thinking when he was going to battle ObiWan on the Death Star in A New Hope. Please review!


A/N: **This is my first sort of Angst fic from a characters point of view... so please go easy on me! And please review too! This takes places when Darth Vader and Obi-Wan are about to fight on the Death Star. Enjoy! Review!**

I can see you approaching me in the distance. I wonder why you have come here, for you've been gone for so long. Why do you come back now when the Empire is at it's strongest? Why come back when you know that you cannot defeat me? These are the things that I want to ask to ask you, but I dare not, for your voice shall stab me like a dagger. It kills all the moments that we once shared. The same moments that you have now shrouded with your lies, your deception, until now, when I know that we must fight until the death.

I can see you closer now, though your hair has gone from the healthy brown that I used to know, to this pale white. But behind your changed appearance, your wrinkled features, I still recognize those blue eyes. The same eyes which I looked to for guidance, for understanding; the same ones that you locked me with to prod me for answers to my arrogant, reckless behavior. But don't you see, Obi-Wan? I was not reckless; I was saving my love, my life. Saving the Republic from the insolent Jedi who were trying to take over. And I won, my old Master! You failed! Because of your impudent behavior, the Jedi are dead! Gone forever! And now the sith rule.

It is hard for me to see why I ever wanted to become a Jedi. They are selfish, only trying to get themselves into higher power. Every single Jedi failed and now I have the ultimate power. I could order my troops to destroy you now, but I hold too much pride to do so, and I know that you, too, hold too much pride to go out in that fashion. I know what I must do, and I feel that you do, too. You already know your fate, and yet you still came here. Why?

'_He still believes that there is good in you. He wants you back, no, he _needs_ you back.'_

I hear a voice whisper in my head. I have heard this voice for many years, graciously accepting its guidance. For this voice saved me. Saved me from the destruction of the Jedi, causing me to become more and more powerful. You cannot change me back, Obi-Wan! And you are a fool to think so. Of course, you were always a fool. A fool to train the one who destroys you and a fool to think that you killed me on Mustafar.

Mustafar… the planet holds many memories for us, doesn't it, my old Master? The place where we fought and where you killed… her. And the place where you made me this machine. You completed the transformation; made me Darth Vader.

Finally, we stand before each other.

"I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The

circle is now complete," I say, not wanting you to see the true turmoil going on inside of me. You take your stance, and I take mine. Are we to fight like this again, my old friend? So be it.

"When I left you," I continue on, "I was but the learner; now I am the master.

"Only a master of evil, Darth," you reply.

As you speak, I can feel my old self, wanting to come back, to tell you that I am not gone and to save me. I draw my red light saber to silence my conflicting soul, that which is ridden with so many deaths. I strike at you to vanish their taunting faces. And it works. I swipe more at you, to create the boiling hate inside of me, needed to destroy you once and for all. But still you block my attacks, though your oldness has dampened your powers from when we last fought.

"Your powers are weak, old man," I say to you.

"You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

So we battle on, and in your face I can see worry, I see pain. But you cannot see my anger, my hate, my pain, this mask makes sure of that. This mask which so many do fear. And I sense that you fear it, too.

In the distance I hear blasters, and I notice that you hear them as well. Still with our sabers ready, we cast a quick glance over our shoulders. I see a young boy whose face is ridden with worry when he sees that we are fighting.

Not wanting the pain to come back, I attack you more. I prepare myself for one more blow, and I follow through. My saber penetrates your body, and then you vanish, while your cloak crumples to the ground. I hear the boy cry, "No!" but I still poke the empty cloak to make sure that you are truly gone.

I expected to feel more relief, more pride, now that you are gone. Instead, I feel more hate, more anger, but more at me than at anyone else. Still there is conflict in my mind, in my soul. Once more, I hear that coaxing voice in my head, and in an instant, my troubles are gone. I knew that my old master was gone, and I held no more chains to him.

I was no longer Anakin Skywalker.

I was complete.

I am Darth Vader.


End file.
